US moves military ships as Lebanese Hezbollah steps up attacks
Amid growing tensions between Israel and the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah, the United States deployed the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp to the Mediterranean this week, international media reports said.
The move came after international bodies expressed concern that the war between Israel and Hamas could spill over into Lebanon, from where Hezbollah – a member of the Iran-backed “Axis of Resistance” – regularly launches attacks on northern Israel.
While the ship’s relocation can be interpreted in many ways, a US official told the WashingtonPost that it served as a “deterrent” and, in the event of a full-scale outbreak of war, had the secondary function of evacuating the population.
Another official told the post that the USS Wasp’s deployment was similar to that of the USS Bataan assault ship, which was deployed to the region after the October 7 Hamas attacks and remained there for several months. The official said the ship was there to contain the conflict and keep options open.
The USS Wasp will join the USS Oak Hill in supporting the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, transporting Marines, landing craft, vehicles and cargo.
In addition to the USS Wasp, the USS New York will also be traveling. The USS New York can transport troops on deck using helicopters or landing craft.
How likely is a war between Israel and Hezbollah?
One of the officers told the post Although fears of war are at their lowest since last week, they are still greater than they were last month.
Despite Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s visit to Washington, the reassuring certainty that war is not imminent is due to the reduction in cross-border attacks, an official said.
These comments came before Hezbollah launched a rocket and drone attack on northern Israel on Friday evening.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Brown warned on Sunday that an Israeli offensive in Lebanon would likely give Iran an even greater role in the conflict – and possibly make it a direct player in the war rather than relying on its proxies.
There were also fears that a larger war could not only endanger the lives of countless civilians in Israel and Lebanon, but could also endanger US troops in the region.
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